Learn and Run
by Catullus16
Summary: Short story based off Octavia Butler's Dawn. Takes place years after the end of the book.


**Hey all, this was actually written for an English project. The book it is based on is called Dawn, by Octavia Butler. It takes place after the book and could be considered an alternative ending. **

**P.S. I actually hated the book, but my story was kick ass...please enjoy!!**

**Disclaimer:I don't own anything**

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Learn and Run

Karie ducked out of a hut that was situated in the center of a small clearing in the vast amount of trees closing in on the planet. It was a primitive house, barely more than a roof and four walls made out of sticks found in the surrounding jungle. It was well made for all of its faults and happened to be the home of a family of four. This family lived in the "city" called Nyjord, the first new human settlement after the war, and consequent alien meddling. Karie was a part of a new race, a mix between the Oankali aliens and humans. She had gotten the best traits of both, and though she looked human, had what those in the past had called superhuman abilities. Most people these days were the new race, dubbed the humakali, except for the few elders who were the first humans back on Earth. They were revered for their fragileness and few numbers.

Karie walked down the main path that led to the center of town, only a few clearings away from her hut. The town was arranged in a circle with the elders' huts in the middle and others ranging out in what clearings they could find or make. As she walked under the trees she saw all of types of people living in various states. Though nothing was based on a class system anymore, some chose to live better than others. People were sitting around cooking fires, stretching animal skins for clothes, grinding nuts to make flour, and performing other simple tasks that were necessary to life out in the jungle. She made her way to the center of town with the cluster of huts that were of better quality then all the rest. It was a subtle difference, but in her eyes she looked like a pauper compared to them. She nervously approached the door to Elder's Thom and Sera's hut. She peered around the corner and timidly knocked on the door. "Come in;" a gruff voice said. There was some mumbling indoors and then, "Well come on already, what are you waiting for… an escort?"

There was a muffled female voice that then said, "Be nice Thom, it could be a relative." Some arguing ensued and Karie moved inside of the hut, all the while blaming her mother for making her come there. This hut had the luxury of having more than just one room, and for a second she was in awe of its grandeur. The thought of having more than just a common room was exciting and overwhelming to her. In the entry room, where she had just entered, there were two old people sitting at a table quietly arguing.

"Uhh…I… my mother sent me to…to…well give you this;" she stuttered and then held out a basket containing who knew what and set it on the floor. She turned and was about to run out when the old man, who must have been Elder Thom, said; "hold up, just where do you think you're going?" She froze and slowly turned around, thinking that he was going to yell at her for being late, or early, or having scuffed the basket, or for anything at all. Instead he said, "Tell your mother that she is much appreciated."

"Oh…thank you. I will." With those final insightful words she scurried out and back to her hut. Her mother, Rene, was sitting in the middle of their house sewing clothes for the family. She was also one of the few humans left; old now and frail, with grey hair and deep wrinkles in her skin. Her mother was always a bit of a free spirit; she chose not to live with the other elders of the town. Karie loved her for that; she wasn't ostracized from the other humakali this way. Rene looked up and smiled at her only daughter. "How did it go?" she asked warmly. Karie sighed and said, "I made a fool of myself, I couldn't even speak to them. I just dropped it off and ran. Elder Thom did say thanks to you, but other than that he just yelled."

"Oh, honey, that's just his nature. He's really a nice man when you get to know him." All of the sudden her mother's eyes glazed over, and it was as if her mind was elsewhere. "Karie, you know I love you, right? And that I will always love you, no matter what happens." Karie smiled back at her mother, oblivious that this would be the last day that they would see each other.

______TRANSITION______

Thom looked over to his wife and said, "That one's a quiet one, and though they all look human, they're not. Those aliens are making us into another species, one that's not human. I can't stand them and their unrelenting ways."

"Oh Thom, you're just getting tired and cranky. Karie is no harm to you or anyone else, none of them are. They are peaceful, you should accept them not push them out. They saved humanity and are still helping us out now and again. In fact just last week, one came and helped you fix the roof. So stop making such a fuss."

"Humph, well I still think that they are unnatural."

"That's nice dear; let's see what Rene gave us." She stood up and walked over to the basket, still lying on the floor, and picked it up. She returned to the table where they were sitting and opened it up so that they both got a good view. All that was inside was a scrap of cloth with one word on it; _Tonight._ "Are we really ready?" she whispered with her hands starting to shake.

"We have been waiting since we got off that God forsaken ship and got back onto solid ground, so what do you think;" he retorted.

"Well, if you must know, I still think that they mean us no harm. We shouldn't do this Thom;" she pleaded.

"I need you with me Sera, we…I…can't do this without you." She sighed in response and said; "you know I will always follow you." As much as it pained her to leave their comfortable home and humakali friends, she would go when he asked.

"We have done all we can here; we have learnt everything there is, and now it is time to run." He said this as if to justify what they were about to do with that age old saying of _Learn and Run_.

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**Hope you enjoyed the story!**


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